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| Lisbon Local Reference INFOrmation
Information on the Portuguese national health care system, with details on who benefits and where and how to register with the authorities and what contributions and benefits to expect.
Social Security benefits only apply to Portuguese, European Union, and legally resident citizens in Portugal and their spouses and dependents. Citizens of other countries should seek advice from their Embassy or Consulate on private insurance. All health and social security benefits are administered by the Social Security (Segurança Social).
Health BenefitsAnyone who has paid regular social security contributions in the EU for two full years before coming to Portugal is entitled to public health cover for a limited period from the date of their last social security contribution made in their home country. The following forms and documents are required by the local office of the Social Security (Segurança Social):
The EHIC Card entitles the patient to treatment in public hospitals including emergency dental treatment if on holiday, a student or temporarily resident for less than 180 days. If the applicant has moved to Portugal to live and work, an electronic Social Security Card (Cartão de Segurança Social) will be issued, along with a list of GP health centres in their residential area (Centros do Saúde) and hospitals (Hospitais Públicos). Register at the nearest health centre to get a blue National Health Card (Cartão do Utente) and be assigned to a general doctor (Medico de Família). Treatment and essential medicines within the public health system are free, a small fee is charged for consultations at a health centre (Centros de Saúde). Any payments made to the public health system are tax deductible. Social SecurityTo apply for a Social Security Card (Cartão de Segurança Social), contact the social security office in the area where you live.
The following documents will be needed when registering with social security:
ContributionsEuropean Union citizens who have made social security contributions elsewhere in the EU may be covered under reciprocal agreements.
Employees pay a percentage of their salary which varies from between ten and fifteen percent a month and the employer matches it with approximately twenty percent. The employer will fill out Form RV1009/2003.DGSSS (Declaração de Início de Actividade Profissional a Nova Entidade Empregadora), and the employee should sign it. Self Employed workers currently pay between 24.5 and 32 percent per month. From 2007 a percentage must be deducted directly from the Green Receipt Book (Caderneta de Recibos Verdes) for each invoice issued. Payments will still be made on a monthly basis and any differences between payments and the final calculation will be reconciled at the end of the tax year. Fill out the form for self-employed workers (Inscrição Trabalhadores Independentes), RV1000/2005.DGSSFC Social security affiliation is voluntary for self-employed workers whose gross yearly income is less than or equal to six times the national minimum wage, it is mandatory for those self-employed workers who earn more than six times the national minimum wage.
Payments must be made on or before the fourteenth of each calendar month, and can be made via the ATM Multibanco cash points (select Pagamentos ao Estado then Segurança Social and key in the details) or at the Post Office. Payments made after the sixteenth of the month are subject to interest. Social Security BenefitsMaternity (Maternidade)The law states that mothers can receive 100 percent of their salary or income for 120 days, 90 of which are to be taken after childbirth. Mothers can opt to take 150 days, with the extra 30 days being taken after childbirth. In this case she will receive 80 percent of her reference earnings.
Temporary Incapacity (Incapacidade Temporária)Workers who have an accident and cannot work may claim Temporary Incapacity Benefit. Also those who are ill and are signed off by a doctor (em Baixa) for more than six months will receive 65 percent of their average salary by law.
It may be possible to claim compensation for an accident at work:
Long term sickness (Invalidez)Workers suffering from a chronic illness that means they cannot work (such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, Parkinson's disease, etc.) may claim Incapacity Benefit (Invalidez) for a five-year period or three years.
Disability benefits (Incapacidade)The amount of any benefit depends on the nature and severity of the disablement or incapacity and the ability to work, either full time or part time. Check with the local Social Security Office or consult the Social Security website
Unemployment benefits (Subsídio de Desemprego)Employees who are made redundant or involuntarily unemployed are entitled to receive unemployment benefit of at least 65 percent of their salary for 540 days for a period of 24 months (36 if a teacher) or 180 days in 12 months.
Self-employed workers are not entitled to Unemployment Benefit (Subsídio de Desemprego) if their business fails, but if they are unable to work because of serious illness and have paid Social Security contributions they may be entitled to Incapacity Benefit (Invalidez). There is no system of Income Support in Portugal. Self employed people are recommended to take out private insurance. Pension benefits (Pensão)Those who have made sufficient social security payments in Portugal may be eligible for a Portuguese pension. Those eligible for a foreign pension may receive it under bilateral agreements and still be eligible for a Portuguese pension.
It is compulsory to declare income from all pension sources – company, private pension plans, and state pensions from other countries, which may be liable to taxation.
The pension can be paid directly into a bank account:
The Portuguese Social Security website has comprehensive information in English on pensions.
Further Information
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